Fish haul from Phuket whale-shark catchers to go to auction

PHUKET: The Phuket Fisheries Office on Monday (June 4) will auction off the catch seized on board the Phuket fishing boat ‘Sang Samut 3’ while the captain and crew are under investigation for catching a whale shark then dumping it into the sea.

Chalong Police have yet to announce whether or not they will proceed with charges against the captain and crew for catching the whale shark after a formal complaint was filed filed by officers from the Phuket office of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), who accuse the Sang Samut 3 of breaching Section 66 of the Fisheries Act 2015 and Section 16 of the Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act, B.E. 2535 (1992).

Breach of Section 66 of the Fisheries Act incurs a fine of between B300,000 and B3 million, “or to a fine of five times the value of the aquatic animals caught or brought on board a fishing vessel concerned. In whichever case, the higher fine shall apply.” Breach of Section 16 incurs a penalty of up to four years in jail, or a fine of up to B40,000, or both.